Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Windsor Framework: Parliamentary Scrutiny

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government which statutory instruments have been published to give effect to the Windsor Framework; and what plans they have to ensure that House of Lords select committees have sufficient time to scrutinise those instruments before motions are tabled for their approval.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Implementing the Framework expeditiously is essential to providing assurance and certainty as to what the Framework will mean in practice. At present, the Government has laid the Windsor Framework (Democratic Scrutiny) Regulations 2023 and The Value Added Tax (Installation of Energy-Saving Materials) Order 2023.The Government will continue to bring forward legislation to give effect to the Windsor Framework in a way that enables scrutiny by Parliament, and to engage with the scrutiny committees of Parliament in order to support their work.

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the projected annual costs of operating the red and green lanes in Northern Ireland.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Further guidance on these arrangements will be provided in due course, and we will set out the details of new arrangements and their costs in the usual way.

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the processes for monitoring andenforcing regulationof parcels sent between Great Britain and Northern Ireland under the Windsor framework.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have safeguarded parcel movements and maintained business as usual for Northern Ireland consumers. That means parcels can be sent to friends and family in Northern Ireland, with no requirements on either the sender or recipient. People in Northern Ireland ordering from businesses in the rest of the UK will continue to order and receive goods through the post as they do now; and parcels sent between businesses will be able to use the same internal market scheme as applies for freight movements. To support this the UK has agreed that authorised parcel operators will manage a process of sharing data to monitor and manage any risks of smuggling into the EU market. The Government will set out further detail on the operational arrangements in due course.

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total estimated annual cost of operating the trusted trader scheme for Northern Ireland.

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will continue to fund the Trader Support Scheme; and what the estimated annual cost ofdoing so will be.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We will continue to provide a free-to-use support service for movements in the green lane. We will set out the details of new arrangements and their costs in the usual way, including to Parliament as we continue to do. Further guidance on the green lane will be provided in due course.Information on the historical cost of the Trader Support Service and other support schemes is available in response to Written Question UIN 146816.

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what will be the cost to individual companies of participating in the trusted trader schemefor Northern Ireland; and whether they will be providing any financial support for companies, particularly small companies, registering and participating in the scheme.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The internal market scheme will be straightforward and free for traders to register. In addition, we will continue to provide a free-to-use support service for movements in the green lane. Further guidance on the green lane will be provided in due course.

UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government whether goods forming part of a transactionbetween parties in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but bought online, will be processed via the red or green lanes under the Windsor framework.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The green lane will be available for goods bought online in line with the terms of the Windsor Framework. For example we have safeguarded the movement of consumer parcels, removing any need for international customs processes. That means that Northern Ireland consumers will be able to order from businesses in the rest of the UK and receive goods in the post as they do now. This will mean Northern Ireland citizens will uniquely be able to receive parcels from both the UK and EU without burdens. Importantly, this new approach will apply even to goods otherwise classified as prohibited or restricted under EU rules (though domestic UK law prohibitions and normal carrier terms and conditions will still apply).

Israel: Diplomatic Service

Baroness Deech: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the actions of British diplomats stationed in Jerusalem who participated in the Palestine Marathon on 10 March, started by a Fatah official who was under investigation by FIFA for glorifying terrorism; and whether they have assessed the conduct of those diplomats in respect of Articles 13–15 of the Diplomatic Service Code.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: British diplomats are respected around the world because of the high standards to which they hold themselves, of which the Diplomatic Service Code is a key part. Those who participated in the marathon did so privately but we do remind staff to be mindful of their responsibilities as diplomats. The UK's position in relation to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories is long-standing: we wish to see a viable two-state solution with Israelis and Palestinians living side by side in peace, prosperity and security. The Foreign Secretary and I [Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon] were pleased to welcome Israeli Foreign Minister Cohen on 21 March to sign the 2030 UK-Israel Roadmap, which outlines how the UK and Israel intend to work together to strengthen our partnership and to strengthen economic security for Palestinians.

Sri Lanka: Tamils

Lord Mann: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the UN Human Rights Council about the situation of Tamil communities in Sri Lanka.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK, alongside our partners in the Core Group, have led international efforts to promote human rights for all communities in Sri Lanka, including through resolution 51/1 at the UN Human Rights Council. The resolution renewed the mandate of the Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights to report on Sri Lanka and to protect and preserve evidence of past human rights abuses to use in future accountability processes. We have made our stance clear in statements to the Council, most recently on 7 March. The UK also made recommendations including on the need to address issues around the expropriation of land in the North and East during Sri Lanka's Universal Periodic Review in February.

Iran: Crimes against Humanity and Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take in response to the remarks of the United Nations Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on Iran at its 52nd Session regarding crimes against humanity and human rights violations in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK welcomes the report by the UN Special Rapporteur, which provides further confirmation of the extent of the Iranian government's human rights violations. Working alongside international partners, the UK has been at the forefront of ensuring the Iranian regime pays a political and diplomatic price for its brutality. The UK announced seven rounds of human rights sanctions, totalling over 60 Iranian individuals and entities since October 2022.The UK has raised human rights both with Iranian representatives in the UK and directly in Tehran. The UK co-sponsored the UN General Assembly resolution on human rights in Iran, supported the creation of a UN Fact Finding Mission on Iran and helped ensure Iran's removal from the UN Commission on the Status of Women. We have raised human rights in both the Human Rights Council and UN Security Council. We take note of the seriousness of the report's findings, and remain committed to continue holding the Iranian regime to account for their actions.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Lord Singh of Wimbledon: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) discrimination against religious minorities and women, (2) the use of the death penalty, and (3) reports of extrajudicial killings, in Saudi Arabia; and on what basis they describe Saudi Arabia as a strategic partner.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK and Saudi Arabia have a longstanding bilateral relationship based on trade; investment; defence; security; energy and shared concerns about regional issues. We have vital national security and economic interests in maintaining and developing our relationship with Saudi Arabia, including in how we work together to tackle regional threats. No aspect of our relationship with Saudi Arabia prevents us from speaking frankly about human rights. We monitor a range of human rights issues in the Kingdom, including those pertaining to women, religious minorities and the continued use of the death penalty in the Kingdom.

Development Aid

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: To ask His Majesty's Government what were the outcomes of the firstSaudi Arabia–UK Strategic Aid Dialogue, held in London on 15 March.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Aid Dialogue between the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia took place on 15-16 March. Discussions highlighted how the UK and Saudi Arabia can work together to address global food insecurity, delivering humanitarian aid including in areas of conflict, targeting support where it is most needed across Africa and enhancing the effectiveness of aid. As major global aid donors, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia are committed to partnering together to tackle global challenges and support those most in need.

Afghanistan: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken (1) to monitor the human rights situation in Afghanistan, (2) to prevent future atrocities in that country, and (3) to collect and safeguard evidence of current atrocities with a view to future prosecutions.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO continues to monitor the human rights situation in Afghanistan. On 7 October 2022, we co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution to extend the UN Special Rapporteur's, Richard Bennett, mandate to monitor Human Rights in Afghanistan.Based on the UN Framework, we assess the risk of atrocity crimes taking place in Afghanistan to be very high. We use a range of internal and external sources to provide evidence-based analysis of the risks, and are using this to inform our programming activity, including incorporating atrocity prevention interventions into existing programmes.

Afghanistan: Religious Freedom

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey havemade of any efforts by the Taliban to protect religious or belief minorities from attacks bythe Islamic State–Khorasan Province; whether since September 2021 they have made any representations to the Taliban on the importance of protecting the rights of religious or belief minority groups; and if not, whether they intend to do so.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Since the Taliban took control, the marginalisation of minority groups has increased. Religious minorities are often victims of targeted attacks. FCDO officials regularly press the Taliban to protect religious minorities. We are working with international partners to urge the Taliban to act on their commitments on counter terrorism and ensure the safety of all Afghans.

Afghanistan: Refugees

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of whether Afghan refugees from Christian, Ahmadi, Baha’i, and atheist backgrounds have their freedom of religion or belief protected in(1) Afghanistan and (2)Iran.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In Afghanistan, since the Taliban took control, the marginalisation of minorities has increased. Religious minorities are often victims of targeted attacks. FCDO officials regularly press the Taliban to protect religious minorities.Iran hosts around 4.5 million Afghans from different backgrounds almost all of whom live side by side with Iranians in their host communities. Nonetheless, Iran has a track record of systematic discrimination, harassment, and targeting of minority religious and ethnic communities. We continue to raise human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, with Iran at all appropriate opportunities. The UK is committed to working with our partners to hold Iran to account for its dire human rights record.

Afghanistan: Refugees

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the situation of (a) Afghan refugees who lack identification documents, and (b) those from Hazara backgrounds, living in Pakistan, and (2) reports that those groups lack access to the services of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, including medical treatment, accommodation, education and documentation, especially in the city of Islamabad.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Hazara refugees in Pakistan have been denied legal refugee status by the government of Pakistan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is a member of Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees, a group established in 2019 to bring together regional governments, the United Nations and donors to support long-term solutions for Afghan refugees. We encourage Pakistan to include all refugees in services provided to the wider population. We regularly raise the mistreatment and exclusion of minority religious and ethnic groups with the Government at a senior level. The Foreign Secretary raised Afghanistan, including the relocation of eligible Afghans, when he spoke to Foreign Minister Bhutto-Zardari on 20 December 2022. The UK has provided £6.5 million to support refugee preparedness in Pakistan and offer vital health services and additional nutritional support to communities hosting refugees.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Climate Change

Baroness Boycott: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in adaptingEngland to climate change; and what assessment they have made of the recommendations of the Climate Change Committee’s reportInvestment for a well-adapted UK, published on 1 February.

Lord Benyon: The Government welcomes the Climate Change Committee’s recent adaptation progress report for England. We will consider the report’s findings as we develop a third National Adaptation Programme which addresses all 61 risks and opportunities identified in the Government’s third Climate Change Risk Assessment. Climate adaptation is mainstreamed across Government, which means that all Government policies and programmes need to consider the risks that climate change poses to their successful delivery and outcomes.We also welcome the Climate Change Committee’s latest report “investment for a well-adapted UK”, and the Government assessed the recommendations. The recently published Green Finance Strategy sets out plans to build a launchpad for private and public collaboration over the next 5 years to overcome barriers to investment and assist in the functioning of news markets. We will announce our approach alongside our climate adaptation finance deliverables and action plan by end of 2024.

Animal Welfare and Environment Protection: Standards

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the differences in environmental and animal welfare standards in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and the impact of these differences on British farmers, given the UK–Australia and UK–New Zealand free trade agreements.

Lord Benyon: The Government has been clear that any access to UK markets agreed through trade agreements will be fair and reciprocal, taking into account sectoral sensitivities and differences in food production standards. For example, within the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement we secured the exclusion of pork, chicken and eggs from tariff liberalisation reflecting the importance of animal welfare to the UK and the level of trade between Australia and the UK on these products. In both our negotiations with Australia and with New Zealand, we carefully considered the potential impacts on British farmers and secured a range of different measures to protect them. These measures include tariff rate quotas for several sensitive agricultural products, product specific safeguards and a general bilateral safeguard mechanism providing a temporary safety net for all products. The Government has published full impact assessments for the UK-Australia and UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement’s, which include impacts on the agricultural sector. We remain committed to upholding the UK’s high environmental, food safety and animal welfare standards through trade. The independent Trade & Agriculture Commission concluded that our agreements with Australia and New Zealand do not undermine the UK’s robust domestic protections. Neither agreement creates any new permissions or authorisations for imports from Australia or New Zealand. All products imported into the UK will, as they do now, have to comply with our import requirements.

Dairy Farming: Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encouragedairy farmers to undertake a Greenhouse Gas Protocol audit.

Lord Benyon: In the Net Zero Growth Plan, we have committed to developing a harmonised approach to measuring carbon on farms and will set out how we will support farmers to undertake carbon audits by 2024.

Agriculture: Government Assistance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government how much they have spent on supporting vertical farming in each year since 2018.

Lord Benyon: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) investments related to vertical farming are £29,540,441 since 2018. In each year investments were: 2018 - £873,5342019 - £1,437,2322020 - £8,826,5092021 - £16,744,3162022 - £1,589,0162023 - £49,834 (to date) The Science and Technology Facilities Council has also invested £20,000 since 2018.

Recycling

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult on (1) policy, and (2) legislative changes, to help establish a circular economy in the UK.

Lord Benyon: The Resources and Waste Strategy 2018 set out our plans to minimise waste, promote resource efficiency and move towards a circular economy. We want to prolong the lives of the materials and goods that we use and move society away from the inefficient ‘linear’ economic model of ‘take, make, use, throw’. Turning to activities at the top of the waste hierarchy, waste prevention and reuse have significant benefits both environmentally and economically through value retention, jobs growth and potential money saving for consumers. Our ambition is reflected in the upcoming document, Maximising Resources, Minimising Waste (MRMW), which will constitute the new Waste Prevention Programme for England. Through the landmark Environment Act 2021, the Government is delivering on commitments in the Resources and Waste Strategy bringing in a wide range of relevant reforms. Government has already consulted on a number of reforms including a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers, Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging and consistent recycling collections for every household and business in England. We continue to collaborate with the UKRI-funded National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) programme to strengthen our evidence base on resource efficiency initiatives and will consider options to further formalise productive cross-government policy making and joined-up strategy to support resource-efficient circular economy business models in industry. This work will build on existing industry partnerships, cross-government research, and the work of the newly created Energy Efficiency Taskforce. Additional policy development and legislative change to support the transition to a more resource efficient and circular economy is being taken forward across Government.

Ministry of Defence

Army: Recruitment

Lord Truscott: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherthey have any immediate plans to increase the overall size of the British Army.

Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence is reviewing whether it is now right to reduce the Regular Army to 73,000, as planned under Future Soldier. That process is ongoing.Defence's plans to modernise the force will be outlined in an update to the Defence Command Paper to be published before the summer.Any specific policy changes or updates required related to defence capability and force design will be determined following the publication of the Defence Command Paper.

Home Office

Domestic Abuse

Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Sharpe of Epsom on 14 March (HL5987), what assessment they have made of the impact of the difficulty of assessing bruises on darker skin on (1) documenting and prosecuting cases of domestic violence, and (2) providing treatment and support to victims of domestic violence.

Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of disparities in the response to, and treatment of, domestic abuse and domestic violence on the basis of race or ethnicity.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: This Government recognises that Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), including domestic abuse, affects a wide range of people. Some victims, especially those with specific needs and vulnerabilities, including ethnic minority victims, may experience additional barriers to identifying, disclosing, seeking help or reporting abuse.That is why in tackling domestic abuse a “one size fits all” approach is not appropriate to support all victims. We also understand the importance of specialist and ‘by and for’ services in providing tailored support and understanding that ethnic minority victims and survivors of VAWG offences and domestic abuse need. These are services that are led, designed and delivered ‘by and for’ the users and communities they aim to serve. As a result, these organisations have the necessary skills and experience to provide appropriate support.On 22 November 2022, we commenced an open commercial competition (VAWG Specialist and Support Services Fund) for ‘by and for’ and specialist services. This will enable vital services, who are based in the communities they serve, to support victims often facing the greatest barriers to getting the help they need. We are able to fund this competition with up to £8.4 million (in total) to run over financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25, with up to £6 million ring-fenced grant funding for ‘by and for’ services over the two years.Whilst there is current international research on how colorimetry can assist the assessment of bruising in adults and children with darker skin this has yet to impact on NICE Guidance on bruising as of March 2021, or contemporary Royal College of Emergency Medicine Guidance.

Asylum: Deportation

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government which safe countries individuals have been returned to when they have been removed due to an inadmissibility decision on their asylum application.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: We are clear that those who fear persecution should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and not put their lives at risk by making unnecessary and dangerous journeys to the UK. Controlled resettlement via safe and legal routes is the best way to protect such people and disrupt the organised crime groups that exploit migrants and refugees.Inadmissibility is a longstanding process, intended to support the first safe country principle and is an established part of international asylum procedures. Those who choose to travel from a safe third country and then claim asylum in the UK may find their asylum claim treated as inadmissible to the asylum process. That means that the UK will not consider the substance of the person’s claim and will seek their return to a safe third country.Since 1 January 2021 returns have been made to Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.Information on the return of those who claims are deemed inadmissible is routinely published and can be found online at: How many people do we grant protection to? - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Asylum

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals have been granted temporary protection since the Nationality and Borders Act 2022 came into force; and what proportion of such individuals were under the age of 18.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’ on GOV.uk. Data on initial decisions on asylum applications, by age, can be found in table Asy_D02 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’ on GOV.uk. Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks. The latest data relate to the year ending December 2022. Data for the year ending March 2023 will be published on 25 May 2023.Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’ on GOV.uk.Between 28 June 2022 and 31 December 2022, 56 people received grants of temporary refugee permission, of which 5 people (9%) were under the age of 18.

Counter-terrorism: Public Places

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposed Protect Duty on parish and town councils in England; and what new funding they intend to provide to local authorities to support their compliance with that legislation.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: Martyn’s Law, formerly known as the Protect Duty, will be published as a draft Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny this Spring. The Home Office is acutely conscious that this Bill must be proportionate, ensuring not to place undue burdens on local authorities, including parish and town councils, whilst balancing against the threat the UK faces from terrorism.Alongside the draft Bill, the Home Office will publish an impact assessment. A further, updated, impact assessment will be completed prior to any formal introduction of the Bill. The Home Office will also undertake a new burdens assessment and assess any requirements arising from it.

Migrants: Hong Kong

Lord Mann: To ask His Majesty's Government what system they use to process advanced DBS checks for professionals newly arrived in the UK from Hong Kong and applying for jobs; and what risk assessment they have made of the consequences of seeking information from the Hong Kong Police Force when carrying out such checks.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The system for processing DBS checks for professionals newly arrived from Hong Kong is the same as the system used for all applicants regardless of where an individual is from. The DBS takes its information from what is held on the Police National Computer (PNC) and does not seek information from the Hong Kong Police Force when carrying out such checks. Information about overseas criminal records is entered on the Police National Computer (PNC) only when the British police are advised by a police force from overseas, or an agency such as Interpol. If an employer is recruiting people from overseas and wishes to check for any foreign criminal record, a DBS check can only access criminal records from the PNC and cannot access criminal records systems in other territories. Where overseas criminal records are held on the PNC, these would be revealed as part of a DBS check, as appropriate.

Refugees: Afghanistan

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to ensure that eligible Afghans inAfghanistanare able to access the Afghan Citizens Relocation Scheme.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: In January 2022, we launched the scheme, with some of those evacuated under Op PITTING being granted a place on the ACRS and, in June 2022, we launched two further referral pathways onto the scheme.The two further referral pathways onto the ACRS will continue to see individuals resettled to the UK. Beyond the first year of the third pathway, the Government will work with international partners and NGOs to welcome wider groups of Afghans at risk. Further detail will be set out in due course.This is one of the most ambitious resettlement schemes in our country’s history and we are proud to offer a safe and legal route to those affected by events in Afghanistan. We look forward to welcoming new arrivals to the UK and supporting them to rebuild their lives.We continue to work, including with likeminded partners and countries neighbouring Afghanistan, on resettlement issues and to support safe passage for eligible Afghans.

Asylum: Rwanda

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to assess the ability of Rwanda to accommodate asylum seekers under the age of 18; and whether a safeguarding review will be undertaken.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Unaccompanied asylum-seeking children will not be considered for relocation to Rwanda. We will thoroughly consider the circumstances of cases involving families with children according to our policy, statutory and international obligations. A full equality impact assessment has been published on gov.uk.

Illegal Migration Bill: Impact Assessments

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government when theyexpect to publish the impact assessment for the Illegal Migration Bill.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: We will publish an equality impact assessment and economic impact assessment in respect of the Illegal Migration Bill in due course.

Slavery: Northern Ireland

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with the Northern Ireland Executive on the creation of a statutory defence for victims of modern slavery or trafficking who have committed an offence.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office has had no discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the creation of a statutory defence for victims of modern slavery or trafficking who have committed an offence.

Asylum: Housing

Lord Tope: To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of Clearsprings Ready Homes' provision of basic humanitarian services to the asylum seekers housed in properties they manage.

Lord Tope: To ask His Majesty's Government what regulatory oversight is in place to ensure Clearsprings Ready Homes accommodation complies with its contractual obligations for the health and safety of the asylum seekers they house.

Lord Tope: To ask His Majesty's Government what regulatory oversight has been implemented to ensure that Clearsprings Ready Homes does not take financial advantage of asylum seekers housed in the accommodation they manage.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: It would be inappropriate to comment on commercial arrangements with suppliers. All Home Office commercial contracts are designed to ensure the best value for tax payers and the Home Office closely monitors its contractors performance, including financial results. Any profits above the agreed contractual margins comes back to the Home Office.The safety and wellbeing of asylum seekers in our care is of paramount importance to the Home Office. Accommodation for supported asylum seekers is arranged by private sector providers through contractual arrangements with the Home Office. We expect high standards from all our providers across all of the services they are contractually obligated to provide and performance against delivery is managed robustly. The Statement of Requirements for what is to be delivered and to what standard is available for the Asylum Accommodation Support Contracts is widely available in the public domain. The Statement of Requirements provides specific details on providers obligations to adhere to legislation such as the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010 as well as duties imposed on them by section 55 of the Border, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009, and the children’s duty, to safeguard children from harm and promote their welfare.The provision of healthcare for asylum-seekers is the statutory responsibility of the Department of Health and Social Care. However, there is funding available for local NHS Systems through Integrated Care Boards to assist with delivering health assessments to asylum seekers in contingency accommodation. Asylum Accommodation Providers signpost the people they accommodate to register with local GP Practices to access healthcare and work closely with local health teams to ensure that signposting is clear and those who want to register are able to do so. All supported asylum-seekers are given an induction briefing when they arrive at initial or dispersal accommodation. Performance against this is captured in Key Performance Indicators and reported on via Monthly and Quarterly reporting. In the event that people are not given appropriate induction briefings and this is reported via the AIRE service, the Home Office will take action. We expect high standards from all of our providers, and we have a robust governance framework in place to manage service delivery of the Asylum Accommodation Support Contracts (AASC). Details of the AASC can be found. Alongside this, asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 AIRE (Advice, Issue Reporting and Eligibility) service provided for the Home Office by Migrant Help where they can raise any concerns regarding accommodation or support services, and they can get information on how to obtain further support.

Visits Abroad: Rwanda

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherjournalists fromTheGuardianwere invited to accompany the Home Secretary on her recent visit to Rwanda with journalists from other UK newspapers; if not, why not; and, further to the Home Office spokesperson’s comments reported in the Press Gazette on 25 April 2022 that the Home Office “fully adheres to the Government Communication Service Propriety Guidance when dealing with members of the media”, whether the decision on whether to inviteGuardianjournalists took account of the Government Communication Service Propriety Guidance which states that to "work effectively, media officers must establish their impartiality and neutrality with the news media, and ensure that they deal with all news media evenhandedly”.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government howthe list of news organisations that attended to report on the Home Secretary’s visit to Rwanda was drawn up; and at what stage that list was considered against the Government Communications Service Propriety Guidance on the need for media officers to "establish their impartiality and neutrality with the news media", by dealing "with all news media evenhandedly."

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what advice the (1) Home Secretary, and (2) Permanent Secretary of the Government Communications Service, received concerning the exclusion of news organisations who may not support Government policy from attending the Home Secretary’s recent trip to Rwanda; and in particular whether they considered the Government Communications Service Propriety Guidance requiring media officers to "establish their impartiality and neutrality with the news media", by dealing "with all news media evenhandedly.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Media outlets who accompanied the Home Secretary’s visit to Kigali on March 18 – 19 were BBC News, The Daily Express, The Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph, GB News, Press Association, The Sun, The Times. There were also numerous outlets in the region who covered the visit.Even-handed treatment of the media in accordance with the Government Communications Service guidelines is central to how the Civil Service communicates. Due consideration of the GCS guidelines is undertaken in Home Office communications.All news organisations were kept informed of the progress of the visit regardless of whether they attended or not.

Police: Misconduct

Lord Lexden: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to (1) the Written Answer byLord Sharpe of Epsom on 22 February (HL5554) where he stated that "there are no provisions in legislation which entitle legally qualified chairs to remain anonymous”, and (2)the remarks byLord Sharpe of Epsom on 20 March (HL Deb col 1531),when the name of the legally qualified chair appointed to hear a police gross misconduct case in Cleveland will be published.

Lord Lexden: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Sharpe of Epsom on 20 March (HL Deb col 1532) where he stated "I am delighted to say that Cleveland is starting to make serious progress on the engagement front", how that progress is being made; andwhat have been the results in relation to the gross misconduct hearing at which Mr Mike Veale is due to appear.

Lord Lexden: To ask His Majesty's Government, what plans they have to provide a briefing to Privy Counsellors in respect of the police gross misconduct hearing pending in Cleveland.

Lord Lexden: To ask His Majesty's Government how manypolice misconduct proceedings in England and Wales have not been started 18 months after their announcement.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Home Office collects and publishes data on police misconduct cases finalised during a financial year period in the ‘Police misconduct, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin. It does not therefore include cases which have been referred to misconduct proceedings, where those proceedings have not yet concluded.   The Government is unable to comment on on-going misconduct proceedings, which are rightly conducted independently of government. There are therefore no plans to provide briefing on this or any specific misconduct hearing, nor is the Government able to provide any details relating to legally qualified chairs (LQC), who are appointed to both their role and individual panels by Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). Any decision concerning publication of an LQC’s name is a matter for the relevant PCC Cleveland’s most recent Police Efficiency, Effectiveness and Legitimacy report, published by His Majesty’s Inspectorate for Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), showed positive improvement in a number of key areas, including its crime recording and treatment of the public. However, it still has further to go to meet acceptable performance standards in respect of preventing crime and understanding and addressing its demand. As such HMICFRS have confirmed it will continue to be engaged. It remains PCC Turner’s responsibility to ensure that Chief Constable Webster takes effective action to address the inspectorate’s recommendations. We will continue to take a close interest in the force’s progress as a member of the HMICFRS-chaired Police Performance Oversight Group.

Domestic Abuse

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish their response to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s report Safety before status: the solutions, which was due in February.

The Lord Bishop of Gloucester: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment has been made of the recommendations in the Domestic Abuse Commissioner’s second report into migrant survivors, Safety before status: the solutions, publishedon 13 December 2022.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: Tackling violence against women and girls is a government priority. We are committed to supporting victims of abuse, regardless of their immigration status.The Home Office is grateful to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for publishing the ‘Safety Before Status: The Solutions’ report and to the Commissioner’s team and external partners for researching the vital issue of support for migrant victims and survivors of domestic abuse.We will continue to engage with the Commissioner’s office on recommendations set out in the report, and across government. We have already begun to take forward work that stems from some of the recommendations.We are giving detailed consideration to the findings of this research in conjunction with the external evaluation of the Home Office funded Support for Migrant Victims Scheme pilot (SMV) and considering the wider policies affecting migrant victims and survivors of domestic abuse. Our official response will be published as soon as is practicable. In the meantime, we continue to provide £1.4 million per annum to fund support for all migrant victims of domestic abuse.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Hydrogen: Heating

Baroness Worthington: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have approved consumer strategies and consumer communications developed by gas distribution network operators (1) as part of the neighbourhood trial, and (2) as part of the village trial.

Lord Callanan: The gas networks have overall responsibility for leading the delivery of the neighbourhood trial and the village trial. The Government engages with the gas networks on their consumer strategies but does not routinely approve consumer communications.

Hydrogen: Heating

Baroness Worthington: To ask His Majesty's Government what alternative heating solutions will be provided to consumers who do not want to participate (1) in the hydrogen heating neighbourhood trial, and (2) in the hydrogen heating village trial.

Lord Callanan: In the neighbourhood trial, hydrogen will be transported through pipes laid parallel with the existing gas network, so consumers will be able to continue using natural gas if they do not wish to use hydrogen. The gas networks have consulted local residents in potential village trial locations to develop their consumer offer. This includes alternatives for consumers who do not wish to or cannot connect to hydrogen, such as electric cookers and heating systems.

Energy Bills Rebate: Boats

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide fuel support to those living on licensed boats with no permanent mooring, many of whom are on low incomes or pensioners.

Lord Callanan: The Government is keen to support these households living on licensed boats with no permanent mooring and to ensure that they can receive the Alternative Fuel Payment via the Alternative Fund where eligible. We are currently working to find an acceptable method for these households to provide proof of eligibility, whilst protecting public funds, so they can claim the Alternative Fuel Payment via the Alternative Fund.

Carbon Emissions

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to update their policy paperNet Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener, published on 19 October 2021, and (2) to bring forward the timetables for their net zero plans, given the International Panel on Climate Change'sSynthesis Report, published on 20 March.

Lord Callanan: The Government is committed to its Net Zero target. The Net Zero Growth Plan and Carbon Budget Delivery Plan, published in March, set out the package of policies and proposals to meet the UK's carbon budgets. The Government has already come a long way to meet that target. The UK has cut emissions faster than any other G7 country, through deployment of low-carbon sources, such as renewables and nuclear, which provide half of the UK’s electricity generation. The Government's target is in line with the advice of the UK’s independent Climate Change Committee and is consistent with the recommendations in the IPCC report.

Department for Business and Trade

Employment Tribunals Service

Baroness Lister of Burtersett: To ask His Majesty's Government how many(1) warning notices, and (2) financial penalty notices, were issued to respondent employers under section 150 of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 for failure to pay an employment tribunal award in each year since 2016–17, including 2022–23 to date; how many of those financial penalties (a) have been paid, and (b) remain unpaid; how many previously unpaid awards have been recovered following (i) the issuing of a warning notice only, and (ii) the issuing of both a warning notice and a financial penalty notice; and how much money has been recovered for claimants in total in each category.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: While we do hold data on Employment Tribunal Penalties, this is derived from a live case management system and has not been subject to sufficient validation that would be required for us to release this to Parliament at this time. We will give consideration to what data we may be able to publish on this subject in the future.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Development Plans

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government how many conflicts between local development plans and national development management policies have arisen in each of the last five years; and how many were resolved by the national development management policies taking precedence.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: National Development Management Policies are proposed to be introduced by the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill which is before Parliament at present. Therefore no conflicts have arisen between National Development Management Policies as they have yet to be introduced. Further details of how National Development Management Policies would operate are set out in the consultation document 'Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill: reforms to national planning policy' published in December 2022.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Advanced Research and Invention Agency: Environmental Protection

Lord Ravensdale: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Callanan on 14 December 2021 (HL Deb col 205) that an obligation on the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) would "have regard to its projects contributing to our climate change targets and environmental goals", why the ARIA framework agreement, published on 17 February, doesnot include their aforementioned commitment; and when they plan to edit the framework agreement to include it.

Viscount Camrose: I thank the noble Lord for raising this matter. The ARIA Framework Agreement will be updated as soon as possible to include this commitment, without prejudice to ARIA’s freedom to have maximum autonomy over its research and project choices.